Although this might seems a supergroup incorporating Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, Beck and R.E.M. drummer Joey Waronker and Brazilian percussionist Mauro Refosco – “Amok” it’s definitively a quite strange journey into the wilderness of minimal electronic and glitchy electronica and feels like the follow up of “The Eraser”, Yorke’s 2006’s debut solo album. On the other hand, this is not so different from the latest Radiohead sonic experiment, the 2011 “The King of Limbs” as well.
While the rhythmic build up of the album it’s quite similar throughout, Yorke’s ghostly falsetto singing haunting feverishly from song to song. It’s nice to know that Flea contributed to this, but do not expect to hear his presence, and except some rare jazzy flavoured moments, “Amok” it’s more about how it feels, then how it sounds.
One of the best moments it’s “Default”; feels warmer, eventually humaner, less mechanic, repetitive and panchromatic. “Dropped” have a post-wave/pre-industrial taste, digging in the same hole where Reznor it’s digging lately with Atticus Ross and lately with How to Destroy Angels. It’s a chilled, gloomy mixture of trip-hop flavoured ghostly singing and subtly layered electronic grooves and layers. “Stuck Together Pieces” it’s build upon a nice bass groove, love the vibe of it.
This is a trip. Literally. There is a little coloured pill for everybody. Althrough it feels blurred, cinematic and pretty ambiental, it might be addictive.
Tracklist:
01 Before Your Very Eyes…
02 Default
03 Ingenue
04 Dropped
05 Unless
06 Stuck Together Pieces
07 Judge, Jury and Executioner
08 Reverse Running
09 Amok
Line Up:
Thom Yorke – Vocals, Guitar, Piano (Radiohead)
Flea – Bass (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Nigel Godrich – Guitar, Keyboards, Synths (Radiohead Producer)
Joey Waronker – Drums (Back, R.E.M)
Mauro Refosco – Percussion (Forro In The Dark)
Built from three days of studio jamming around existing laptop sketches. “Amok” will be released on February 22 2013.
Atoms For Peace – Official Site
Atoms For Peace @ Facebook
Thom Yorke @ Twitter
